10 DeClutter Tips

This is a room in my house, from a couple of years ago, when I had scarcely a moment to breathe. This room, like many of your rooms, became the catch all room; the room I could close the door and ignore. During this period of my life, so much was coming at me, that emotionally I could do little more than eat, sleep, work, and take care of my family the best I could. This room is a clear representation of how emotional clutter can manifest itself through physical clutter. So how did I attack this room? 

 By using several of the  10 DeClutter Tips, 

I was able to restore this room to it's natural order. 

10 DeClutter Tips

1.  Take one area and focus only on that area; it can even be a category.  For example, in my room, I took out all the boxes and either broke them down or put a couple aside to be used later for storage or give away.  Once that was done, I focused on a square foot under the window.

2.  Set aside time.  I had to schedule the time to get this task done......things that are scheduled normally get done. 

3.  Find homes for all the objects.  Many things in my room had homes, I just had not taken the time to put them there.  

4.  Make a decision. "Clutter is the result of delayed decision making".

Be willing to make a decision and quit hanging on to things.....just because. 

5.  Visualize the end goal.  Don't start anything without an end goal in mind.  My goal was to bring order to the room and to be able to vacuum the floor!

6.  Work in short spurts.  Working for about 25 minutes at a time, taking a timed 10-minute break, then working for another 25 minutes will help you not burn out so easily.

7.  Have supplies on hand......garbage bags, a box for items needing 

to be relocated and a box for items to donate.  

8.  Put on some music.  It feels more fun to have some music going.  

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had it right when they sang whistle while you work!

9.  Don't organize clutter. Organize and label only what is really necessary to keep. 

10.  Don't buy storage containers until you know exactly how much of something you are going to keep and where you are going to store it.  When you buy storage containers, you don't end up using, you have only added to the clutter. 

Now, figure out what area of your home is causing you the most stress and apply some of these tips.  

Today just might be your day for a new beginning!

peggywbarnes@gmail.com

252.670.2951

Helpful TO DO List/Not So Helpful TO DO List

Example of a NOT SO HELPFUL TO DO List:

Do taxes

Organize

Clean House

Buy gifts

Make calls

I see many a TO DO list that looks like the Not So Helpful TO DO List.  You will never be able to cross anything off that TO DO list.  It will feel and look like you never accomplish anything when in reality you are probably accomplishing a whole lot more than you realize.  Look at the example of the Helpful TO DO List and see if you can see the difference.

Example of a HELPFUL TO DO List:

              Gather donation receipts for taxes

              Organize kitchen utensil drawer

              Vacuum all rooms

              Order sweater for Mother’s Birthday

         Go to Target and get gift card for Sam’s birthday

Call Eye Doctor to reschedule appointment

         Call Sarah to see how she is feeling

         Call to schedule exterminator

The second list is a list of specific action steps you need to take.  When you look at the first list, you have to spend time figuring out exactly what step you have to take next.  When you look at the second list, your action steps are already in place.  The second list allows you to schedule your day more efficiently while crossing things off that dreaded TO DO list. 

Another option is to take the first list, do a brain dump, and put all the action steps needed for each item:

           Do taxes

         Gather donation receipts

         Calculate mileage

         Call Pharmacy for medication expenses summary

         Pull together home deductible expenses

         Organize

        Organize kitchen utensil drawer

        Clean out boy’s seasonal clothes

        Purge gift wrap

        De-clutter my shoes

Make your TO DO list work for you instead of just mindlessly writing down things TO DO.  Make your list actionable, easy to understand and easy to schedule. 

Let me know how you’ve changed your list and how it is working for you.  

I love hearing from you! 

10 Ways to Use Evernote

Evernote is one of my favorite paper buster tools.  When I use Evernote, I don't have a bunch of sticky notes sitting around.  I don't have notes written on little pieces of paper and best of all, I don't have to remember where I put those pieces of paper!

The information I have stored in Evernote can be seen on my phone, IPAD or computer.  If I am away from home and need the information, it is right at my finger tips!

Here are 10 ways I use Evernote to cut down on my paper clutter:

1.  Evernote Clipper allows me to save information I find on the web and organize it in folders.  I name the folders (just like you do in a paper filing system) based on how I want to retrieve the information.   For example, if I find an article about de-cluttering, I Evernote clip it and "file" it in my folder - De-Clutter Information. 

2.  I love a good quote.  I file quotes in Evernote.

3.  Air Filter sizes, printer cartridges, water filter types....all of those pesky household items that are size specific are filed in Evernote so I have access to them when I am in the store ready to buy them.  

4.  Birthday lists......need to remember when someone's birthday is and you are not at home with your master birthday list....store it in Evernote.

5.  Christmas lists!  Each year I write down who I am giving a gift to and what I gave.  I can easily refer back to the previous years and make sure I am not duplicating gifts!

6.  Writing down your goals is an important step to achieving them.  I keep my personal and business goals housed in Evernote.  

7.  Paint color lists....can't remember the name of that wonderful color you used in the bedroom....keep it in Evernote.  

8.  Evernote is a place I keep ideas.....writing ideas, newsletter ideas, gift ideas....things that come to mind that I don't have a need for right now but will want to refer to later.  

9.  Phone numbers - people I don't need very often....like a carpenter/handyman or closet designer.   If I store that person in my contacts, on my phone, I may not remember his/her name but if I store it in Evernote....I can quickly retrieve the name and number.  

10.  Medication lists.  This is a great thing to have in Evernote when you go to the doctor.  I personally and thankfully don't have any medications I take but for those that do, this is a great way to have that information with you each and every time you have a doctor visit. 

Hope this helps you think outside the box and find new ways to cut down on paper clutter with Evernote!

Click the link below to sign up free for Evernote today!

https://www.evernote.com/referral/Registration.action?uid=3419289&sig=6e5801be47bbde149f93d1a898bfaef2

You Always Have Time.....

When we look at our daily life. the quote, in the photo above, says a lot and can strike a chord in many of us, 

Can you list the things that you say you don't have time to do?  

Exercising
Eating Right
Spending time with our friends, family or spouse
Getting organized

I am not judging or condemning anyone because I am just as guilty.  To find time, for the most important "things" in our life, we have to look honestly at our schedule and see what things we are saying YES to that is causing us to say NO to something else.  The things we are saying YES to may be very noble things, may be good causes, and you may feel like the whole thing will fall apart if you are not a part of it.  However, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should be.  

What I do know about this concept is:  if your health fails - from lack of exercising or not eating right - all of a sudden you find time to deal with it.    If your relationships fail - from lack of attention - all of a sudden you find time for the people in your life.  If crisis mode hits - from lack of organization - all of a sudden you find time to try and get organized.  

What don't you have time for that you know is important?  Are you able to take some hard looks at your schedule and make some hard choices?  If not, eventually, life will do it for you.  

Finding Clarity in the Clutter

Clarity in Clutter???? How can anyone see or feel anything but overwhelm and a mess when they look at clutter??

Going through the de-clutter process can be very freeing.  It is like a physical weight has been lifted off your body.  While you go through your clutter, piece by piece, bit by bit, you become very clear about what you want to surround yourself with and what you value in your life.  

Clutter clearing is an extremely psychological process and not only will the clutter clear physically but you will see clutter falling away emotionally.  It is amazing the avenues that clutter clogs and the avenues that are opened up, in your physical space and in your mind, when that clutter is no longer around.  

You don't have to be clear about everything right now but the more action you take to clear the clutter from your space and mind, the more clarity you will have.  

Take the Next Step

The above photo is from a friend of mine, who shall remain nameless.  I received her permission to use it because it is a perfect example of a concept I want to write about today......the next step.  

Look around your house today and see how much less cluttered your home would be if you had just taken 1-5 minutes to complete the next step or steps.  The mail would be in it's place.  The dishes would be put away.  The clothes would be in the hamper instead of on the floor.  The coat would be hung in the closet instead of draped over a chair.  The trash would be in the trash can and yes, the new roll of toilet paper would be on the holder. Just being aware and taking those few extra minutes, to complete a task, can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your home.  

I know, we are all in a hurry, at times, but many times we are simply not really paying attention.  We carelessly lay something on a counter, fully expecting to get back to it very soon and then suddenly a lot of those things carelessly laying around accumulate and the job becomes overwhelming instead of feeling manageable.  It is not going to take you any more or any less time to complete the task, so why not just go ahead and take the next steps.  
In the long run it will save you time, added steps and toilet paper will be on the roll when you need it!

Being Deliberate

A word I use, a lot in my business, is "deliberate" or "intentional".  To me, this is one of the most important words we can use in our day to day life......let me explain.

Thesaurus.com has several synonyms listed for "deliberate"

intentional

purposed

aforethought

planned

calculated 

thoughtful

willful

conscious

When working with an organizing client, I want their attention focused on the new systems we put into place that will allow them to be more organized.  I want them focused on what they are bringing into their home.  I want them focused on a task until completion.  

When working with a life coach client, I want them focused on their part in a relationship. I want them focused on the thoughts and beliefs that are running through their head.  I want them focused on their dreams, goals and values. 

When we go through life willy nilly, we get to the end of it and wonder where the time has gone.  When we are deliberate about our days and have given our days, weeks, months, years and life some thought, we have greater success at reaching our goals. 

"A goal without a plan is just a wish".  

~Anthony Robbins~

"The best way to predict our future is to create it."

~Abraham Lincoln~

Being intentional and deliberate about life does not mean that it can't be spontaneous and fun.  It doesn't mean that there won't be huge twists and turns.  
Being deliberate does mean that you will be aware.  Being intentional means that you will take some action steps towards your goals.  

We all know life is fluid and can change on a dime, but paying attention to the days we have been given, will create a more beautiful ride through life. 

The Smartphone To Do List

(Apple.com)

I have an IPHONE 4 so I do not have the latest and greatest of all things techie.  I do like my IPHONE 4 because it does what I need it to do but I am sure it will do more.

I have used several things on the IPHONE that I love but today I will focus on To Do Lists that are available for most Smartphones since I promised a follow up blog to my To Do List post (declutterbugnc.blogspot.com).
 I am going to admit I am still and paper list girl.  In a survey of all To Do List people, it was found that about 1/2 of the population is still paper To Do List people.  Really, I am a combo, since my calendar is housed on my IPHONE, but essentially, my daily tasks and grocery lists are on paper. 

Having confessed that, I do have good information about Apps for To Do Lists on Smartphones. As a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO for short and yes, there is such an organization and it is really big and worldwide), I have access to a lot of different organizers and information that keeps me up to date on many of the APPS on smartphones that are working well.  So, below, I am listing 7 Techie To Do Lists recommended by smart, sharp organizers around the world.  

Some of these Apps are free, some are free but have premium services for an extra fee and others have a monthly or annual fee.  Some are a bit more complicated and detailed than others so look carefully at what your real needs are in a To Do List and stay away from bells and whistles that you don't need or won't use. I have linked each of these to their website; just click on the APP name. 


1.  Todoist.com

2.  Things

3.  Rememberthemilk.com

4.  Priorities

5.  Nozbe.com

6.  Toodledo.com

7.  MiniMaList

Take a few minutes, find out which one might work for you and try it out.  I just might, too! 

Time Sucker Neutralizers

Yesterday's blog covered the subject of time suckers.....those sneaky little critters that stealthily come in and suck time out of our day and leave confusion and devastation in their wake!

Today we are going to "re-cover" the time suckers and I'll give you some ideas of how to keep them from attacking and destroying your day.

1.  Computer - As I sit here writing this blog, I have seen 3 e-mails come in and 4 notifications pop up on Facebook, in separate tabs I have open.  A smart time sucker neutralizing tactic is to turn all the other tabs off or open your work in another browser.  It is easy to get distracted by all those pings, dings and notification numbers popping up so turn them off!  When you get ready to do anything on the computer, set a timer, have a plan and pay attention to meanderings into unplanned territory.

2.  Phone - Voicemail is a beautiful thing. To manage time suckers, I regularly let my voicemail take messages so I can control when I return calls.  I can  manage my time by calling at a convenient time for me.  If you do happen to end up on the phone, with a chatty friend, make sure you are periodically paying attention to just how much time you are on the phone.
Phones are now just mini computers so turning email, voicemail, text messaging, and other notification noises off, while you are working, is another  important time management strategy. 

3.  TV - The best thing you can do about TV is plan what you are going to watch, when you are going to watch it and how long you are going to watch it. Turning on a TV, without a specific reason and time limit is dangerous time sucker territory.  Infrequently, there are those days that you need to just "veg" in front of mindless entertainment.  That is a great mental health strategy as long as those days are few and far between and you are ready to get up and get moving when the time comes.

4.  Twirling - I explained, in my blog post yesterday, that twirling is moving from one area of your home or office to another area and continuing to find things to do in each area without purpose.  The best neutralizer of twirling is focus.  You have to pay attention when you have lost your focus and head back to your original goal or project.  Sometimes this means talking to yourself or setting some kind of timer to beep so it will be a reminder of where your focus should be.  

5.  People -  This seems cruel to call people time suckers but they can be some of the worst offenders.  Co-workers will consistently interrupt your workflow with little to no regard.  Children, spouses, family and friends will call upon you and demand your time, whether it is convenient for you or not.  Boundaries is the key word here.  Set boundaries.  Your time is just as important as everyone else's time.  Put a sign on your door at work that states whether or not you are available.  Let your spouse, friends and family know that you may not always be available right when they think they need you but will help them, if possible, as soon as possible.  Even young children can be taught to respect your time.  Set a timer and tell them you will give them your attention when the timer dings.  Sometimes this works for spouses, too!!

6.  Perfectionism - I have seen this trait stop people in their tracks.  Projects don't ever get started or completed because someone wants it done perfectly. Excellence should always be our goal.  Giving it our best is the best we can do.  Don't let the unattainable goal of perfectionism get in the way of the attainable goal of excellent completion. 

There it is; the list of antidotes to time sucking.  The best offense is a good defense. Over the next week, pay attention to where your time is going and plan a defensive strategy to help you gain back your control! 

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.

 ~Carl Sandburg~

Time Suckers

                               (photo courtesy of stuartmiles/freedigitalphotos.net)

Fact......We all have 24 hours or 1440 minutes or 86400 seconds in day. 

There is no one anywhere that had, has, or will have anymore or any less. 

So what are you doing with your 86400 seconds?

Many times we are in circumstances beyond our control, but more often, than not, we can control much of how we approach our day. 

Here are some things I that I find are time suckers and result in unproductive time during our day. 

1.  Computer - Let's face it.  Many of us read a lot of blogs, look at a lot of Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram and Pinterest.  We sit down to do one quick thing and the next thing we know, 30 minutes or even 2 hours have gone come and gone. 

2.  Phone - Phone conversations with friends are great but sometimes not timely.  Phones can even be mini computers that we spend time playing games or getting involved in social media. 

3.  TV - Oh my.  This can be a total time sucker!  How many hours of TV can you watch in a day or night without really realizing how much time has passed.  With at least a gazillion TV stations at our fingertips, it is easy to channel surf our way into oblivion.  

4.  Twirling - This is a common practice when dealing with my clients.......they twirl.  They start cleaning out a desk drawer, see something that needs to go somewhere else in the house, they go to that spot, they see something in that area that needs attention, they take that somewhere, they see something in that other area of the house that needs attention and this goes on and on and on.  Then at the end of the day, the desk drawer remains cluttered, unorganized and relatively untouched.   Twirling and not being focused will suck time out of productivity.

5.  People - I know that sounds a little harsh and it does not encompass all people all the time.  I am specifically talking about those people that stop by your office for a chat, regardless of what you are doing.  I am talking about those people who use you as their personal water cooler to catch up on the latest and greatest news, sports and office related banter. 

If you work at home, it can be a roommate, spouse or child.  

6.  Perfectionism - Trying to do things perfectly will absolutely suck time out of your day and your life.  No one is saying you should not give any project or task your best but many people will not begin or  move to another task unless perfection can or has been achieved. 

What are your personal time suckers?  Where are you wasting valuable time that would be better spent somewhere else?  
My next blog post will be on how to solve these time sucker problems. 

 "Money, I can only gain or lose. But time I can only lose. So, I must spend it carefully."     - Author Unknown

Working Backwards - Time Management

                                         (photo courtesy of danilin/freedigitalphotos.net)

I wanted to give you a few tips on how to get out the door on time, each and every morning.  It involves working backwards.  Work backwards with me, through each step, and you will see how beneficial this can be.  This process requires you being completely honest with yourself about how long it takes you to complete certain tasks.  If you can be honest, you will see marked improvements on getting out the door in a timely and  less frazzled manner.  

If you have children, you need to factor in their getting ready personality into this equation.  I had one child that moved at a snail's pace and the other that moved quickly and efficiently.  Know your kids and know that they are not going to make an about face in their getting ready personality anytime soon! 

The below scenario involves only me getting out the door. 

7.  I have to be a my client's house at 9:00 a.m.

What time do you need to be somewhere?

6.  It takes me 15 minutes of "perfect" driving time to get to her house.  I live in a small town and rarely do we have traffic back ups but if you live in an area of the world that you know has traffic back up potential, I would certainly factor that into my calculations or be checking the traffic report on a regular basis. That means I need to be in my car between 8:40 and 8:43.  

What time do you need to be in the car? 

5.  It takes me 10 minutes to gather everything I need and get them to the car.  This usually involves getting water, coffee, diet coke, snack and any work related items I may need. Therefore, I need to be completely ready to gather these items at 8:28 - 8:30.  

How much time do you need to get everything ready to walk out the door? 

4.  It takes me 20 minutes to shower, dry my hair, do all my morning rituals like applying moisturizer, deodorant, brushing teeth, etc.  I move fast when it comes to this part of the morning because I have short hair and quite frankly don't enjoy standing in front of a mirror that long.  So, that means I need to be in the shower by 8:08 - 8:10. 

How long does your morning getting ready routine take?

3.  It takes me 5 minutes to pick out the clothes I am going to wear and iron them if necessary.  

I need to start picking out and ironing my clothes by a little after 8:00. 

How long does it take you to have your clothes ready and is that something you could do the night before?

2.  It takes me 50 minutes to prepare and eat my breakfast, walk and have my quiet time, therefore this routine needs to begin around 7:10.  

How long do you need to eat, exercise and take a few moments of quiet? 

1.  It takes me about 15 minutes to really wake up.  If the alarm goes off, I am not one to jump immediately out of the bed.  Therefore, I have to factor in waking up time which means the alarm needs to be set for somewhere around 6:45 -6:55.   

What time should your alarm be set?  Do you like to jump up or hit snooze a couple of times?  

So working backwards, I have figured out, in order to walk out the door, in plenty of time, to arrive to my client's house on time, I need to set my alarm for around 6:50.  All of the things I do for me are important for me to do in the morning.  You may not need to do all of these thing but be realistic about what you do have to get done before you walk out the door.  

Working backwards can help you in many time related activities.  Try it out, see if this exercise works for you so you can begin to arrive on time and enjoy less harried days. 

  

Techie Things I Could Not Live Without (Well, Probably I Would Live Without Them But It Would Just Be Hard)

     I am a baby boomer that knows just enough about electronics and technology to be dangerous.  However there are a few "apps" and techie things that I really have grown to rely on to help me be  more efficient in many areas of my life.  I wish I could say I had grown smart enough to know how to get Affiliate payments and get kickbacks on my recommendations, but I just have not had the time to teach myself and have not had the time to learn......but one day!

Here are a few of them and probably the top 4 on my list. 

Google seems a little silly to post here because most everyone is familiar with Google.  The reason I chose Google is simple, it makes me feel smart.  If I want to know if the St. Louis Cardinals won their game the night before, I Google it.  If I want to remember how many ounces are in a pint (yes, sometimes I get that really mixed up), I Google it.  If I want to know the name of the actress in a movie I am watching and I cannot remember her name, what do I do?  Google it.  Google provides me with quick easy answers to help me solve computer problems, find products for my clients, and find out answers to frivolous questions. 

Evernote is really one of my favorite things.  I am sure there are other apps that will do what Evernote does but I just have not found it and do not feel the need to go anywhere else and look.   Evernote is quite simply a place where I can keep up with notes, quotes, websites, ideas, and anything else that, in the past, I would have written on a piece of paper and would have then wondered where I had written that information and on which piece of paper!

Evernote allows me to create different notebooks and sort information into each of those notebooks.  For example, for this Ultimate Blog Challenge, I went to my notebook, Blog Ideas, and saved ideas in that notebook to refer to later.  I have also been saving all of the Ultimate Blog Challenge Blogging Tips to use at a later date, when I run out of my own blogging ideas. 

Evernote makes it incredibly easy to save websites, selections and emails from your computer. Check them out at evernote.com

Carbonite literally saved me many tears, headaches and gnashing of teeth.  I downloaded Carbonite onto an old computer that was beginning to act very whonky. Carbonite saved everything, except videos, of which I had none.  It saved all my documents and my photos and would have saved my music if I had any of that saved but I didn't.  When that old computer took it's last breath I had nothing to fear.  I got my new laptop, signed on to Carbonite and it uploaded everything from the old computer to my new. It did take a couple of days to complete the upload but I could still work on my computer as it was uploading.  Now, each day, Carbonite makes a pass and saves anything on my computer that is new and hasn't been saved to Carbonite.  The best thing is I can see all my documents on my IPHONE, too!  All of this for $60 per year - $5 per month.  So worth the peace of mind, for me. Check them out at carbonite.com

Last of all but not least is Pinterest.  Pinterest is many things to me but basically Pinterest is a big virtual bulletin board.  On my account, I have several bulletin boards broken into categories:  Organizing Ideas, Organizing Products, Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Cleaning, Decorating Ideas, and so forth.  You can check out all my Boards at http://www.pinterest.com/declutterbug/

Pinterest  is a great  reference point for recipes when I have forgotten to write down the ingredients and am sitting in the grocery store stumped.  Pinterest is the place where I get some magnificent organizing ideas.  Pinterest is a place where I see some fashion ideas that I might be able to pull off and lastly Pinterest makes me feel smart, too.  I see some DIY ideas that I would have never thought to attempt but when I see the people on Pinterest taking it on, I feel empowered and inspired.  Check them out at pinterest.com. 

So there you have it.  I hope you find some things you can use and will help you be more efficient, too.  If this baby boomer can figure this stuff out, so can you....so dive in.....the water's fine!